To provide wireless connectivity and communication between devices in a wireless network such as a wireless PAN (personal area network), a wireless LAN (local area network) a wireless WAN (wide area network), a cellular network, or virtually any radio network or system), it is necessary to equip the receivers and transmitters (or tranceivers) with antennas in order to efficiently radiate (transmit) or receiver the desired signals to/from other elements of the network.
There are many types of antennas that are used in such communications networks and systems. For example, monopole antennas are commonly used in wireless or RF communications systems. In general, a monopole antenna comprises a single wire or antenna element over a ground plane, inversely proportional in length to its intended frequency of operation, which is coupled to a transmitter, receiver or transceiver within a wireless device. The signals transmitted from a monopole antenna are omnidirectional in nature (i.e., the signal is sent with approximately the same signal strength in all directions in a generally horizontal plane). Moreover, reception of a signal with a monopole antenna element is omnidirectional. Typically, in radio communications systems, monopole antennas are remotely disposed separate from the integrated circuits within the transmitters, receivers or transceivers due to size limitations or usage scenarios, for example.